· January, 2009

Stories about Food from January, 2009

Japan: Blurry Lines Between Buzz and Truth – McDonald's Quarter Pounder Debut

  30 January 2009

Cultivating imported products into megahits is a big part of creating consumer trends in Japan, and food is no exception to the rule. Last year, it was the American donut shop, Krispy Kreme. The year before that, it was the American ice cream shop, Cold Stone Creamery. Both are Western foods that are familiar to the Japanese, with a unique twist. Both gained fame for long lines in front of their stores. And both were carefully cultivated hits.

Jamaica, Zimbabwe: Hunger Strike

  29 January 2009

“Do people in Jamaica and the Caribbean care enough about events in Zimbabwe to lend their help to this call for moral action?”: Annie Paul has a friend who is on a hunger strike to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe and tells us how we can help.

Russia: Conscript Seeks Asylum in Georgia

  29 January 2009

Aleksandr Glukhov, a 21-year-old Russian conscript, has asked for asylum in the Republic of Georgia to escape the "unbearable conditions" in the Russian army. One of Glukhov's media appearances took place as he was dining at a McDonald's restaurant in Tbilisi. Russian officials claim that Glukhov was captured by Georgian armed forces in South Ossetia, where he was performing his compulsory military service, and taken to the Georgian capital. Quite a few people in Russia seem to consider Glukhov "a traitor." Below are some of the reactions from the Russophone blogosphere.

Hungary: New Flickr Group With CC-Licensed Photos

  26 January 2009

Antal Dániel of Central Europe Activ writes that he has started a Flickr group that “has only Creative Commons licensed photographs taken in Hungary.” One of the photos there was taken by Flickr user vi4kin at the Great Market Hall in Budapest, and is accompanied by a description (ENG, RUS)...

Azerbaijan: Jam

  24 January 2009

Sheki, Azerbaijan continues to introduce its readers to some of the many cultural traditions in the country, and especially those involving food. In a new post the blog writes about mürəbbə, a sweet and sour jam.

China: Does the government still concern about the “kidney stone babies”?

  20 January 2009

The coverage of the tainted milk scandal in China has been gradually faded away from the mass media with the bankruptcy of Sanlu company. In December 2008, the Chinese government comes up with an initial compensation plan, however, to some victims’ disappointment. And according to Hong Kong's newspapers’ report (Mingpao),...

Taiwan: Prepare for the Lunar New Year

  19 January 2009

The Lunar New Year is right at the corner. The Lunar New Year is an important holiday for family members and friends to get together in Taiwan. To prepare the food and the mood, people like to go shopping before the Lunar New Year. chensumi showed us what she saw...

Georgia: Beautiful Tbilisi

  18 January 2009

Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines, the blog of an Azerbaijani political analyst based in Baku and Istanbul, pays its first visit to Tbilisi, capital of the Republic of Georgia. The blog says that the city is beautiful and has preserved it historical charm while it also notes some of the...

Ukraine: “Notes From an Underground”

  18 January 2009

Stephan Clark of Everybody I Love You links to an audio version of his essay on how not to starve in Ukraine: “When you learn you’re going to Ukraine for a year, become less of a fundamentalist. Don’t insist on being a vegetarian.”

Azerbaijan: Tea

  14 January 2009

Sheki, Azerbaijan introduces its readers to the tea ceremony in Azerbaijan. The blog says that the country might be one of the world's highest per capita consumers of tea and examines the tradition of how the drink is served. It also looks at the cultural role of tea-houses in Azerbaijan.

Malaysia: Campaign to boycott US goods

  10 January 2009

As a form of protest against Washington’s support for Israel, some Malaysians are boycotting U.S. products. Opinion in the Malaysian blogosphere is divided over the campaign.

Mexico: A Trip to the Taco Stand and Trust

  5 January 2009

“If there is a heaven, I am sure that there is a taco stand…” writes El Nahual of Mexico Para Los Mexicanos [es]. He tells a story of a recent trip to his favorite taco stand, upon finishing his meal, he discovered that he didn't have enough money. He was...

Bruneian bakers use blog as a marketing tool

  3 January 2009

Home makers in Brunei have utilised the blog as a marketing tool to sell their wares. Many are bakers and cake makers that display their products on their respective blogs. Many of them are mothers or working professionals that do part-time baking. It has been a success for many and created a buzz for blog readers and supporters.